Survivor 26: Fans vs Favorites Discussion

He really doesn't. He thinks he's in control, but nobody's buying his bullshit, and he doesn't have a Boston Rob around to keep him reeled in this time.

I do agree that Cochran's in a much better position this time around than he was in his first season. Malcolm's fledgling alliance could work out, too, if he and Corinne hook back up after the merge and she brings Michael along.

Cochrane not only dominates the challenge, but basically the whole episode! Nice! I probably like Malcolm and Corinne more than team Phillip but it was cool to see them counter their schemes. Good episode, here's hoping Malcolm has some tricks up his sleeve to keep things interesting down the road. They have two idols after all...

I'm glad Corinne is gone. I can totally understand wanting to do an end run around Philip, but it was stupid to not vote with her own alliance until they started getting rid of the strong guys alliance who will dominate the more physical individual immunity challenges. She had to go lest she went to the other side permanently.

Plus, as annoying as Philip is with his arrogance, secret codes, and general BS, he at least keeps things entertaining with his delusions of grandeur. Meanwhile, she became just as annoying as he was when Michael came over and she started going on an on about "my gay" and "the gay" as if he has zero identity outside his sexual orientation and was her personal toy or pet. Can you imagine if she kept saying "I love the blacks," or "I'm so glad I get to keep playing with my black." Good riddance to her. She never bothered me before that.

It was great to see Cochrane get to dominate a challenge for once, even if it was only a gross food challenge. He deserved to showboat a little, and it was funny. He's played 100% better strategically than his last Survivor appearance where he was a total let down after so much pre-game build up about what a Survivor expert he was and how he was going to dominate strategically. Plus, his self-deprecating, witty, and insightful interviews about the tribe dynamics have been one of the saving graces of the season.

That was stupid of Corinne to go and blab to Dawn about blindsiding Phillip in the next vote, not to mention completely unnecessary. She'd managed to convince Team Phillip to vote Sherri out; if that had happened, her alliance with Malcolm would have had the numbers and it would have been easy to take out everyone else. That was when she should have sprung her surprise on Phillip. Instead she got a little too excited and blew up not only her game, but probably Malcolm's, too.

I'm really liking Cochran this year, too. I kinda get the feeling that he's going to go far in this game, especially if he can latch on to Phillip and figure out a way to take him to the end with him.

Yeah, if Corrine would have kept her mouth shut, her alliance would be sitting pretty. Instead she blabs to the Dawn, who is a bit of an emotional train wreck and really had little reason to join that group to begin with.

It's kind of funny that Eddie and Reynold ended up in an alliance without the numbers yet again.

If there was one challenge Cochrane was going to win, it was the disgusting food competition. Good on him. Call me crazy, but I don't think you want to bring Cochrane to the final 3 because I think he could pull it off if he makes it that far. Everyone seemed genuinely happy for the guy when he won immunity, he's pretty darn likeable this season. Plus I bet he'd make one hell of a jury speech, he's excellent with words. Loved his Rocky-esque celebration too.

I just want to shake Phillip like a British nanny, the guy is so unaware of how he acts. Bit of a bully too. Corrine had the right idea but was foolish in how she handled it, no doubt about that. I wouldn't trust Dawn to make me toast as she'd probably cry on it and make it all soggy, let alone tell her about my plans in the game. Pretty funny that earlier in the show she said "you know what? It's time for a blindside" only to be the recipient.

Hopefully Malcolm can lay the blame for the perceived mutiny at Corrine's feet and somehow keep that alliance intact without being all suspicious.

Great episode. I love those gross food eating challenges, those and the auctions are probably my favorite.

Balut really isn't that bad. I've only tried it once (duck, not chicken), but it kind of reminded me of the pickled eggs you buy in bars. The biggest difference is the texture and the visual aspect- nothing like the pickled eggs you get out of a jar at your local tavern. Not mine anyway.

As for the grubs and worms and such- I'd have a tough time getting those down.

Yeah, that was a pretty bold move by Malcolm. I have to give him credit for the attempt and for actually convincing Reynold to go along with it so easily, even though it didn't work out. Although it does put an even bigger target on his back now.

Andrea's done pretty good as a more overt player, but who I think is secretly playing a good game behind the scenes is Brenda. She's been something of a cipher this season (compared to the past where she was more vocal and manipulative of the chess pieces in the game like Andrea has been), at least on camera, but she seems tuned in to the vote and can pull out an individual immunity win as needed. If anyone actually fits Phillip's idiotic "Steal-R-Us" label it's her, for actually playing a stealthy low-key game this time around. I think she'll start to really become more prominent as time goes on in the game (at least, I hope so).

The blond haired Shaggy from Scooby-Doo looking guy has also been pretty low-key, but I just think that's because he's dumb as a rock in his case rather than any strategic thinking on his part.

I remain impressed with Cochrane this season, both as a source of entertainment during his frequent self-deprecating interviews and the challenges, and he's actually playing a game befitting his level of intelligence this time rather than his over-hyped play that went nowhere before.

If Dawn is crying about having to betray someone in the previews for next week I'm going to puke. She's been shockingly one of the biggest (if not the top) backstabbers and betrayers in the game this season, which is fine since it's just a game, but drop the playing the game with strong morals pretense if that's the case. Maybe she's just stressed out in general, and it's not about that. I think she's been a good player this season, but the drama gets a little bit much.

Phillip remains a giant tool, and not in any useful way.

The challenge of shooting balls into the net was poorly designed. They placed the net way too far back and high up for the defender on the platform to be able to do anything once the players found out that the key to scoring was to simply throw the ball in a high arc over their heads. After that it simply became a challenge of seeing who were the better shots (Reynold's team obviously) and the goalie was meaningless. I will give them credit for the (sort of) new challenge and venue though; I was intrigued when I first saw the river and the set-up, however the challenge didn't live up to that first impression.

That was one of the better tribal councils in a season with some good ones. When everything looked so smooth with the plan for tribal so early in the episode you knew it was going to get dicey after that. Kudos to the editors for keeping things suspenseful.

That was a gutsy move by Malcolm, too bad it didn't work out. He writes the dude's name down and then convinces him to give him his idol! Freaking brilliant.

I can't believe he thought it would be a good idea to go and try and flip Dawn and Sherri when it should have been obvious that it was Dawn who spilled the beans on Corinne's plan (unless Corinne didn't tell Malcolm about that conversation), and that Sherri hates Reynold and would never side with him.

So now Malcolm has the only idol in the game, and nobody else knows about it. He's still in a tough position, though. If he can win the next individual immunity he might be in a good position after that.

Yeah I'm enjoying Malcolm's plays, though they are failing pretty miserably. I wonder if Malcolm using some faux outrage over bug-eyed Dawn's "betrayal" is what makes her snap. Maybe that will help his cause somehow. But Dawn's freakouts are beyond tiresome at this point so I hope she's not long for this show.

When Dawn and Andrea were talking, the bug-eye crazy factor was getting pretty overwhelming. It's like they fed off each other.

That was a gutsy move by Malcolm, too bad it didn't work out. He writes the dude's name down and then convinces him to give him his idol! Freaking brilliant.

I can't believe he thought it would be a good idea to go and try and flip Dawn and Sherri when it should have been obvious that it was Dawn who spilled the beans on Corinne's plan (unless Corinne didn't tell Malcolm about that conversation), and that Sherri hates Reynold and would never side with him.

So now Malcolm has the only idol in the game, and nobody else knows about it. He's still in a tough position, though. If he can win the next individual immunity he might be in a good position after that.

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Convincing Reynold to give him the idol was brilliant, but I gotta question some of Malcolm's other moves. Unless Malcolm has been using the former fan tribe guys in some convoluted covert operation all along, he's gotta be on the outs.

Like you said, why try to flip Dawn when it should have been obvious she ratted out Corrine the last time? And why does he keep thinking he has Erik in his back pocket? Erik hasn't voted the way Malcolm told him to yet. I don't even know if Erik even knows he's in an alliance with Malcolm. The guy doesn't appear to be all that bright.

I'd like to see either Dawn or Philip get the boot soon. Philip's "Stealth Alliance" gig is getting old, as is Dawn's whining.

The high point of the season so far has to be Cochran's reaction to the 'brodown'.

'You think that appeals to me, you numbskulls?'

Cochran's definitely in a great position right now. Nobody is targeting him and he's the first person everybody seems to go to with any new information they have.

This season was lame pre-merge, but it's one of the more interesting post-merge seasons we've had in a while. The worst post-merges are when one alliance just easily votes out another. I love the way Malcolm got Reynold to play his idol on him.

The Dawn meltdown was a little bit of a letdown, she dropped her retainer, then she needed to sleep.

Malcolm and friends with the immunity forcefield was pretty great. I loved the way they sprang it before the vote. But, I don't know if out and out targeting Phillip like that was the way to go. I think they should have put their votes up for auction so to speak, let it be known they are open to a voting alliance. They gave Phillip the opportunity to fall on his sword and he sort of did. I'm not sure if Phillip actually sacrificed himself for the alliance's cohesion, or if he just didn't think it through and understand that he would be out.

I hope next week's wheeling and dealing actually goes somewhere for entertainment's sake.